IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i2p708-d1318683.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On the Use of Biofuels for Cleaner Cities: Assessing Vehicular Pollution through Digital Twins and Machine Learning Algorithms

Author

Listed:
  • Matheus Andrade

    (UFRN-PPgEEC, Postgraduate Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil)

  • Morsinaldo Medeiros

    (UFRN-PPgEEC, Postgraduate Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil)

  • Thaís Medeiros

    (UFRN-PPgEEC, Postgraduate Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil)

  • Mariana Azevedo

    (UFRN-PPgEEC, Postgraduate Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil)

  • Marianne Silva

    (UFRN-PPgEEC, Postgraduate Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil)

  • Daniel G. Costa

    (SYSTEC-ARISE, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal)

  • Ivanovitch Silva

    (UFRN-PPgEEC, Postgraduate Program in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-970, Brazil)

Abstract

The air pollution caused by greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), is a significant environmental concern that impacts air quality and contributes to global warming. The transportation sector plays a pivotal role in this issue, being a major contributor to CO 2 emissions. In light of this situation, this article proposes a methodology that utilizes a supervised learning algorithm to estimate CO 2 emissions and compare vehicles fueled with ethanol and gasoline. Additionally, the solution adopts an online, unsupervised machine learning algorithm to identify data outliers and improve the confidence in the results. Furthermore, this work incorporates the concept of digital twins, using virtual models of vehicles to carry out more extensive pollution simulations and allowing the simulation of various types of vehicles and the modeling of realistic traffic scenarios. A supervised machine learning approach was adopted to infer emission data in the model, allowing more comprehensive and meaningful comparisons between real-world and simulated measurements. The performed analyses of pollution emissions for different speeds and sections of routes demonstrate that CO 2 emissions from ethanol were significantly lower than those from gasoline, favoring more sustainable fuels even in combustion engine vehicles. Adopting cleaner fuels is perceived as crucial to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, with plant-based fuels like ethanol being crucial during the transition from fossil fuels to a more sustainable vehicular landscape.

Suggested Citation

  • Matheus Andrade & Morsinaldo Medeiros & Thaís Medeiros & Mariana Azevedo & Marianne Silva & Daniel G. Costa & Ivanovitch Silva, 2024. "On the Use of Biofuels for Cleaner Cities: Assessing Vehicular Pollution through Digital Twins and Machine Learning Algorithms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:708-:d:1318683
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/708/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/2/708/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jerry L. Holechek & Hatim M. E. Geli & Mohammed N. Sawalhah & Raul Valdez, 2022. "A Global Assessment: Can Renewable Energy Replace Fossil Fuels by 2050?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, April.
    2. Ying Huang & Yongli Zhang & Feifan Deng & Daiqing Zhao & Rong Wu, 2022. "Impacts of Built-Environment on Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Traffic: A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wei Wang & Leonid Melnyk & Oleksandra Kubatko & Bohdan Kovalov & Luc Hens, 2023. "Economic and Technological Efficiency of Renewable Energy Technologies Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, May.
    2. Zhang, Chao & Zhao, Yangsheng & Feng, Zijun & Meng, Qiaorong & Wang, Lei & Lu, Yang, 2023. "Thermal maturity and chemical structure evolution of lump long-flame coal during superheated water vapor–based in situ pyrolysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PC).
    3. Ahmed Hussain Elmetwaly & Ramy Adel Younis & Abdelazeem Abdallah Abdelsalam & Ahmed Ibrahim Omar & Mohamed Metwally Mahmoud & Faisal Alsaif & Adel El-Shahat & Mohamed Attya Saad, 2023. "Modeling, Simulation, and Experimental Validation of a Novel MPPT for Hybrid Renewable Sources Integrated with UPQC: An Application of Jellyfish Search Optimizer," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-30, March.
    4. Elfarra, Barakat & Yasmeen, Rizwana & Shah, Wasi Ul Hassan, 2024. "The impact of energy security, energy mix, technological advancement, trade openness, and political stability on energy efficiency: Evidence from Arab countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    5. Hagreaves Kumba & Oludolapo A. Olanrewaju & Ratidzo Pasipamire, 2024. "Integration of Renewable Energy Technologies for Sustainable Development in South Africa: A Focus on Grid-Connected PV Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-22, June.
    6. Daiva Makutėnienė & Algirdas Justinas Staugaitis & Bernardas Vaznonis & Gunta Grīnberga-Zālīte, 2023. "The Relationship between Energy Consumption and Economic Growth in the Baltic Countries’ Agriculture: A Non-Linear Framework," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-22, February.
    7. Junqiu Fan & Jing Zhang & Long Yuan & Rujing Yan & Yu He & Weixing Zhao & Nang Nin, 2024. "Deep Low-Carbon Economic Optimization Using CCUS and Two-Stage P2G with Multiple Hydrogen Utilizations for an Integrated Energy System with a High Penetration Level of Renewables," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-20, July.
    8. Tao Li & Lei Ma & Zheng Liu & Chaonan Yi & Kaitong Liang, 2023. "Dual Carbon Goal-Based Quadrilateral Evolutionary Game: Study on the New Energy Vehicle Industry in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.
    9. Evgeny Chupakhin & Olga Babich & Stanislav Sukhikh & Svetlana Ivanova & Ekaterina Budenkova & Olga Kalashnikova & Alexander Prosekov & Olga Kriger & Vyacheslav Dolganyuk, 2022. "Bioengineering and Molecular Biology of Miscanthus," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-14, July.
    10. Simona Domazetovska & Vladimir Strezov & Risto V. Filkoski & Tao Kan, 2023. "Exploring the Potential of Biomass Pyrolysis for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Production: A Comparative Study of Corn Cob, Vine Rod, and Sunflower," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.
    11. Ćalasan, Martin & Abdel Aleem, Shady H.E. & Hasanien, Hany M. & Alaas, Zuhair M. & Ali, Ziad M., 2023. "An innovative approach for mathematical modeling and parameter estimation of PEM fuel cells based on iterative Lambert W function," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    12. Grzegorz Pełka & Marta Jach-Nocoń & Marcin Paprocki & Artur Jachimowski & Wojciech Luboń & Adam Nocoń & Mateusz Wygoda & Paweł Wyczesany & Przemysław Pachytel & Tomasz Mirowski, 2023. "Comparison of Emissions and Efficiency of Two Types of Burners When Burning Wood Pellets from Different Suppliers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-18, February.
    13. Obu Samson Showers & Sunetra Chowdhury, 2024. "Enhancing Energy Supply Reliability for University Lecture Halls Using Photovoltaic-Battery Microgrids: A South African Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-26, June.
    14. Dauren A. Yessengaliyev & Yerlan U. Zhumagaliyev & Adilbek A. Tazhibayev & Zhomart A. Bekbossynov & Zhadyrassyn S. Sarkulova & Gulya A. Issengaliyeva & Zheniskul U. Zhubandykova & Viktor V. Semenikhin, 2024. "Energy Efficiency Trends in Petroleum Extraction: A Bibliometric Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-14, June.
    15. Yang Ni & Bin Peng & Jiayao Wang & Farshad Golnary & Wei Li, 2023. "A Short Review on the Time-Domain Numerical Simulations for Structural Responses in Horizontal-Axis Offshore Wind Turbines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    16. Siti Rokhiyah Ahmad Usuldin & Zul Ilham & Adi Ainurzaman Jamaludin & Rahayu Ahmad & Wan Abd Al Qadr Imad Wan-Mohtar, 2023. "Enhancing Biomass-Exopolysaccharides Production of Lignosus rhinocerus in a High-Scale Stirred-Tank Bioreactor and Its Potential Lipid as Bioenergy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18, February.
    17. Evgeniya I. Lysakova & Andrey V. Minakov & Angelica D. Skorobogatova, 2023. "Effect of Nanoparticle and Carbon Nanotube Additives on Thermal Stability of Hydrocarbon-Based Drilling Fluids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-20, September.
    18. Shammya Afroze & Amal Najeebah Shalihah Binti Sofri & Md Sumon Reza & Zhanar Baktybaevna Iskakova & Asset Kabyshev & Kairat A. Kuterbekov & Kenzhebatyr Z. Bekmyrza & Lidiya Taimuratova & Mohammad Raki, 2023. "Solar-Powered Water Electrolysis Using Hybrid Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC) for Green Hydrogen—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-22, November.
    19. Zdravko Pandur & Marin Bačić & Marijan Šušnjar & Matija Landekić & Mario Šporčić & Iva Ištok, 2024. "Energy Gain and Carbon Footprint in the Production of Bioelectricity and Wood Pellets in Croatia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, May.
    20. Yanyi Zhu & Youpei Hu, 2023. "The Correlation between Urban Form and Carbon Emissions: A Bibliometric and Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-28, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:2:p:708-:d:1318683. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.